Jesus is Like Oxygen
I want to tell you about Andy Harris. Andy was one of a several people leading an expedition up Mt. Everest. When he reached the peak, he stayed there just admiring the amazing beauty.
But he stayed there too long and on his descent, he became in dire need of oxygen. Andy radioed the base camp and told them about his predicament. He mentioned that he had come across a bunch of oxygen canisters left by other climbers but they were all empty. But the climbers who already passed the canisters on their own way down knew they were not empty, but full. But Andy maintained that they were empty. The climbers pleaded with Andy on the radio to use those canisters, but it was to no avail. Andy Harris was starved for oxygen but he continued to argue that the canisters were empty. The lack of oxygen had so disoriented his mind that though he was surrounded by the very oxygen he needed, he continued to complain that he didn't have any. The very thing his body needed so badly was the very thing he held in his hand.
And I want to say to you this morning that what oxygen is to the body, Jesus is to the heart and soul. Many in the church have Bibles in their hands and in their homes, and Jesus on their lips, but are suffocating and starving and don't even know it. What oxygen is to the body, the Bread of Life is to the soul.
Source: from a sermon by Mike Cleveland, "Believing means Feeding on Jesus" 8/3/2008